2026 quarterly estimated tax dates
Calendar-year installment dates for tax year 2026, including the January 15, 2027 payment and the early-file option. Cite Form 1040-ES and Publication 505.
Tax season 2027 checklist: you PAY estimated tax (you don’t “file” quarters)
$29 Excel kit · Gumroad
$29 USD
Track 1099 income next to W-2 wages, Schedule C-style expenses, split-year mileage, remaining OASDI base, and a quarterly 1040-ES reserve estimate for tax year 2026. Version 2026.1. No VBA. Not a filed IRS form. Not tax advice.
Estimate my quarterly set-aside in Excel — $29Not tax advice. This hub is plain-language planning copy for U.S. sole proprietors who earn W-2 wages and 1099 / gig / freelance income. Shortell Designs is not a CPA and does not prepare or file returns. Confirm every rule, rate, and due date on official IRS.gov pages (or mark “confirm on IRS”) before you pay or file.
You don’t “file” quarterly estimated taxes — you PAY them
Form 1040-ES is a way to pay estimated tax — it is not a quarterly return you “file.” Prep from W-2 + 1099 side hustle? Track income and 1040-ES reserves so April isn’t a surprise. Confirm 2026 quarterly estimated tax dates and 2026 OASDI wage base and SE tax with W-2 + 1099. Official: Who must pay estimated tax (IRS).
What “tax season 2027” means here
You prep records in late 2026 and file the tax year 2026 return in calendar 2027. Mixed W-2 + 1099 earners often also pay Form 1040-ES estimated tax during 2026 (and the final installment in January 2027) so withholding on the day job does not have to cover all of the side-hustle tax. Some people instead ask a W-2 employer for optional extra W-4 withholding — confirm on IRS. Not tax advice.
- Estimated tax: pay tax on income that is not subject to withholding (for example, self-employment / gig earnings). See the IRS Who must pay estimated tax (IRS) overview and About Form 1040-ES.
- Self-employment tax: Social Security and Medicare on net earnings from self-employment, figured on Schedule SE. See Self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare taxes) and Topic no. 554.
- Rates & bases: this site does not invent wage bases, mileage rates, or safe-harbor percentages. Use the linked IRS / SSA pages, or confirm on IRS before you pay.
Guides on this site
Who must pay estimated tax
High-level “who / who does not” notes from the IRS estimated-tax page. Thresholds: confirm on IRS Form 1040-ES / Pub 505.
2026 OASDI wage base and SE tax with W-2 + 1099
How the Social Security wage base interacts with Schedule SE when you also have W-2 Box 3 wages. Confirm current base on SSA / Form 1040-ES.
2026 business mileage rates
Split-year standard mileage for business miles, with links to the IRS notices. Confirm before you claim a deduction.
W-2 + 1099 side hustle? Track income and 1040-ES reserves so April isn’t a surprise
Hub for the $29 Excel kit: Income 1099, W-2, expenses, home office, mileage, quarterly 1040-ES reserve, annual summary. Not tax advice.
Official IRS starting points
Start here, then re-check before you pay estimated tax or file:
- Estimated taxes (overview)
- About Form 1040-ES, Estimated Tax for Individuals
- Form 1040-ES (2026) PDF — due dates and worksheets; confirm current revision
- Publication 505 — Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax
- Self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare taxes)
- About Schedule SE (Form 1040)
- Topic no. 554, Self-employment tax
- IRS payments · Direct Pay
Disclaimer (not tax advice)
Not tax advice. Educational planning hub only. Shortell Designs is not a CPA, not a tax preparer, and does not offer a professional tax service. The Excel kit estimates a federal SE tax + income-tax reserve; it does not file Form 1040-ES, Schedule C, or Schedule SE for you. Pay the IRS through official channels.